Divorce Attorneys in Erie, PA | Carney & Good

The decision to divorce is usually challenging and uncomfortable. The process that follows is equally difficult and complicated without proper guidance. The experienced attorneys at the Law Offices of Carney & Good have the practical family law experience and useful resources in order to properly resolve divorce predicaments. Our attorneys have compassion and understanding in order to provide you with suitable advice of how to conquer the economic tensions of divorce.

The Law Offices of Carney & Good can help resolve divorce matters in multiple areas such as:

Deciding to follow through with divorce is a troublesome and stressful time period consisting of many separate legal elements that can both benfit or harm you. While there are times when litigation is the best way to establish a resolution, many people prefer other alternatives easier and more effective such as collaborative law or mediation. The Law Offices of Carney & Good proudly offers expertise divorce legal services to residents of Erie, PA and the surrounding areas.

Do separation and divorce refer to the same thing?

Expand +

These two terms are often confusing and unclear among people. Separation refers to two people, who are still married, living in different households. A legal separation is a court order that mandates the rights and duties of a couple while they are still married, but living apart. Legal separations are not too common, but can be helpful to a situation where the spouses work through any personal or financial issues affecting the marriage. Divorce refers to the filing of an actual lawsuit where the spouses will become no longer married. There is no requirement stating that couples have to be living under the same roof in order to file for divorce.

What are possible grounds for divorce?

Expand +

Every state has agreed upon separate grounds for divorce. When one party is filing for a fault divorce and claiming the other party has a wrong doing which validates ending their marriage, then grounds for the divorce in the state of Pennsylvania include:
• Adultery
• Abandonment without reason for at least one year
• Cruelty or domestic violence that jeopardizes the life or health of the innocent party
• Bigamy
• Conviction of a crime or imprisonment of two or more years
• Life-burdening, intolerable humiliation of the innocent spouse

Does filing for divorce cost a lot of money?

Expand +

The cost of filing divorce is only dependent on how much time your lawyer spends on the case. If both parties are able to comprise or agree on a solution, then the whole divorce process will go faster and smoother. The amount of time spent on the case also depends on the amount of assets and property that's involved. The more assets that need to be distributed, the more time it will take to find a reasonable solution.

How long does filing for divorce typically take?

Expand +

Filing for divorce can take anywhere from three months to four years depending on the assets involved, the expertise of your lawyer, the problem solving skills of both parties, and if any children are involved.

How do you go about determining the owners of assets?

Expand +

The state of Pennsylvania does not currently have a law entailing the equal distribution of property like many other states, but it does have an Equitable Distribution of Marital Property that doesn't necessarily mean a 50/50 split. The different factors that determine the splitting up of assets are relative to the unique cases and individual circumstances. There are a few asset categories that have the capability of being excluded from what's considered marital property.